Promise
by Midnight Noel
Summary: AU: Elena has always had a crush on her best friend, Stefan. He's the starting Quarter back, he's a nice guy, he's also dying. Through flashbacks she'll relive the unforgettable final summer they shared. The appearance of Stefan's older brother will force Elena to make peace with the past.


**A/N: Hey guys. So this is my new AU Delena fanfic. ( I promise Damon will be introduced shortly) I hope you enjoy & feedback is always welcome!**

**-Midnight Noel**

Prologue 

"This place is pretty damn depressing, you know that?" I asked, opening the curtains, revealing the sunlight. The room was a dreary gray, with a bedspread and dead flowers to match. The only thing remotely personal was a framed photograph on the table displaying the first day of high school, which now seemed light-years away.

Stefan smiled, "It's better than a funeral home," his voice was raspy.

"It's better than your sense of humor." I muttered, my tongue poking out at him.

"C'mon Gilbert, take a joke." he gave me a half smile

I sat on the edge of the bed, "I'm just running low on sleep, I'm not my hilarious self when I'm tired."

"That's because you never leave or sleep."

"I'll sleep when you sleep, and leave when you leave," I smirked.

"You're not the one with pulmonary fibrosis."

He only used the scientific term when he was trying to make a point, usually he just said 'shitty lungs' or something like that.

I turned away. The lump in my throat always comes at the most unexpected times, like it was trying to be inconvenient. His fingertips rested on my back.

He coughed, "C'mon. We can sleep now," he patted the space next to him. I wiggled into the crook of his elbow, listening to his irregular heartbeat.

"Here," he said, positioning his camera above our faces, "Smile."

His wrist shook slightly when the shutter snapped, for a second I thought it would come crashing down on our faces, "I really want to get down to the dark room and develop these."

"You mean your basement?"

"Details, Gilbert."

"What did you even take pictures of? It takes you _ages_ to develop."

"Our Summer." he murmured, quietly

Something poked in my chest, and for a second I thought it was heartburn, but it was all the memories of last couple months being relived in my mind. I remained silent.

I lay back, and he played with my hair until falling asleep a few minutes later. I refused my body sleep; instead I listened to Stefan's uneven breathing, afraid that it was going to stop all together. I had tried to prepare myself for that moment when it did stop, when a goofy smile no longer appeared on his lips, when those lungs did falter. But it was no use, when the time came I would be broken. Utterly shattered

I stroked his chestnut hair away from his prominent cheekbones. The years that the sickness had caused him to gain miraculously melted off in sleep. I took the air mask from his neck and placed it over his mouth. Stefan refused to wear it. He claimed he didn't need it, but his breathing evened out somewhat.

My skin had no color whatsoever and there were thick bags under my eyes, but I didn't mind. I had spent an entire summer in that room (for the most part) and I could argue it was one of my best.

My phone sprang to life. Apparently my 'no sleep motto' wore off moderately quickly. I sleepily fumbled with my phone and pressed it to my ear.

"Hello," I yawned.

"Hey, it's Caroline."

I didn't understand why she felt the need to mention her name. We'd been friends forever, we had voice recognition.

"What's going on?"

"We got invited to Connor's end of summer party?"

"Why is that a question?"

"Look, Girlie, I know you're still playing nurse with Stefan. But we need to get out, have _fun_."

I lowered my voice, "He's not doing so well, Caroline."

"He wasn't doing so well yesterday and he's not going to be doing so well tomorrow, what difference is one evening gonna make? He's my friend too, you know…Ok look, go home, put on some makeup, do your hair, and let's have just one girls night."

That was Caroline's method to get what she wanted; compromise. It was always 'ok look' or 'how about this'. But at the end of the day it was her way or the highway.

"C'mon, it'll be a good time."

I sighed, I'm sure Stefan was getting sick of me anyway, one night away from each other would probably be good. I planted a light kiss on his forehead and exited the room. On an afterthought I carefully pried the camera from Stefan's hands. I might as well give him a couple laughs when he develops these.

"Yeah, meet me at my house," I muttered into the phone

I swung open my front door and was greeted by a loud creek.

"Jeremy?" Aunt Jenna questioned wildly. Part of me hope she hadn't returned from work yet, and then I remember that she no longer worked.

"No, it's me," I muttered.

"Shouldn't your brother be home by now?"

"I'm sure he'll be along soon."

Only he wasn't going to be along soon. Jeremy had left six months ago, and cut us off. My aunt didn't understand this; she still cleaned his room and made him dinner. Last week had been the worst. It was his seventeenth birthday. She had cried for hours that he had missed his birthday cake.

"I even made his favorite meal for dinner."

"That's great, I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"How was your day?"

Well, watching my best friend die again has been just dandy, Jenna. I'm actually thinking about turning it into a sitcom script.

"Fine, Caroline and I are going to dinner so I'll be home later."

"Sure, have a good time. Jeremy's phone is off, maybe you can get ahold of him."

"I'll do my best."

I trudged up the stairs and into my room. Pictures cluttered the walls, some were drawn and others were taken with a camera. Stefan was quite the photographer, so basically my room was his personal art gallery. His aunt was a bare minimum type person, which contributed to him having a camera that needed film, in the age of digital. The pictures ranged from 3rd grade to his last football game before getting sick. I think Jeremy took that one actually. I was on Stefan's back, and we we're laughing at something he had said. His frame was layered with muscle, and his hair was sticky with perspiration.

My closet held more clothes than a girl could wear. After my parents had died, Jenna kind of over did it with the clothes and gifts. I sighed and grabbed the first hanger my hand made contact with. It was a blue romper and belt, perfect for a pool party. Or perfect enough.

My eye caught a single picture that was taped onto the side of the closet. It was Jeremy and I on the first day of school three years ago. The resemblance was obvious; same dark hair, and thin frames. For the most part we got along, or at least looking back on it, it seemed like we did. It was hard not to miss him, but I tried not to. My aunt was upset enough for the both of us.

It took me about two seconds to do my makeup; this was probably due to the fact that I usually don't wear any. But tonight I spread some red rouge across my lips. It's not because I'm naturally beautiful or anything like that, I could use a little enhancement. But whenever I used to experiment with the stuff, I ended up looking like a drag -queen who had a part time job as a clown.

"Looking good, feeling great," Caroline enthused when she showed up at my door.

"I think it's the other way around," I smiled.

"We hoofing it?" Caroline asked as we walked down the porch

"Unless you plan on hotwiring a car. Plus it's only around the block."

I had always felt inferior when with Caroline. She was like a model, with the perfect flowing hair and all. She used it to her advantage too, always flirting and every once and a while she would bring out the baby voice. All the boys were always after her, including Jeremy for a short while.

"Tyler's cute, would you…hook up with him?"

My eyes bulged out of my head, "I never really um thought about that."

What I said though was true. Tyler was cute I guess, but I would never _kiss_ him, there was only one boy that I wanted to kiss, but that was irrelevant.

"Maybe you should start. Sex isn't even that big of a deal, it's totally normal."

"C'mon Caroline, leave it alone, I'm fine."

My thoughts drifted back to that hospital room, where Stefan and I would be watching a movie or playing poker for the thousand times. But whatever we could be doing there would be a lot more exciting than going to some stupid party. There was still time to run I reminded myself. But if I did leave, Caroline would never let me hear the end of it.

Music drifted from three houses down, it was that pop crap that I couldn't stand. Music is supposed to mean something, it's supposed to leave the listener feeling enlightened, but this stuff just gave me a headache.

"Hey guys thanks for coming," Tyler greeted us loudly, "drinks are on the deck, and pool is in the yard."

Tyler is what we called a "dumb drunk." I had only been drunk once; Stefan and I thought it would be fun. I honestly don't remember how it was. He had said I was a "happy drunk." I suppose that's better than being angry or dumb.

I helped myself to a beer, not that I would finish it.

Caroline had ditched me as soon as we got to the back yard. Apparently, I was cool enough to hang out with in isolation but once we reached society, I was thrown under the bus.

I made small talks with a couple of kids from my class, but I wanted nothing more than to get out of here. I was never much for partying. Tyler approached me.

"You look mad good."

I smiled politely, "Thanks. Cool party."

"It better be, it cost me a trip to the beach."

"So your parents just let you have this bash?"

He shrugged, "This way they don't have to put up with me I guess. But it's no big deal."

This is the most depth Tyler had portrayed in all ten years of knowing him. I'd always known his parents hadn't won any awards for their great efforts, but I didn't know it was that rough.

There was a girl making her way to her car. No teenager owned cars in Bridgewater. So I decided to do my best to pawn a ride off her.

"Hey," I said loudly.

The girl looked around as if to make sure the greeting was directed towards her.

"Hi," she answered timidly.

"Would you mind giving me a ride to the hospital?"

"Are you sick?"

"No, just please. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate, I'll pay you."

She sighed, "Sure, whatever."

"Thanks so much."

I carefully climbed into the passenger seat of her car. I couldn't wait to get to get to Stefan. My heart was pounding with anticipation. I wasn't even sure why, it'd only been about two hours before we'd seen each other. Sometimes, I felt like a creepy stalker or something out of a horror movie, but I needed to make sure he was alright.

"I'm Elena, by the way. Elena Gilbert."

"I know who you are; you always hang out with Stefan, the sick kid."

I decided to pretend she didn't just say that, "Yeah, that's me, what's your name?"

She turned towards me, showing off thick glasses frames, "You don't care what my name is."

I decided not to argue with her, and just stared out the window. Everything looked so much different at night. The shape of the trees looked spooky and the lake reminded me of black tar. Even _I _looked different at night, with angular cheekbones and ghost like skin, I could be a enchantress.

"Holy crap," she whispered.

Cop cars surrounded the building, sirens blaring and all. We were the only car in the lot, there could've been a zombie apocalypse and we wouldn't have known the difference. A police officer ran up to the car. His brow was furrowed, and there was a bead of sweat across his forehead.

"Ladies I'm gonna have to ask you to leave the premises."

"What's wrong?"

"A shooting has just taken place, this area isn't safe."

My breathing became labored and my hands clung together like magnetics, "What did they do with the patients."

"The injured ones have been moved to St. Mary's, one town over."

"Do you know the names of the injured? Any teenagers?"

"Only one, he's a minor so we can't give out details."

But I knew, I always know, "Salvatore, Stefan Salvatore."

He became suddenly interested in his shoes.

My teeth set together, and my hands began to tremble, "Can you please give me the address to St. Mary's?"

He wrote down the address on a gum wrapper, and the driver snatched it from him.

"Thanks," she said.

I just nodded. I wasn't even really in the car, I could've been driving off a cliff and I wouldn't have done anything. Who would shoot a hospital patient? Who would end someone's life that only had a little time left anyway?

The highway seemed to go on forever, no twists or turns, just blank pavement that led the way to my own personal hell.

Once the building came into view, I shoved five dollars into the girls hand, and literally jumped out of the car. I'm not really sure what I was hoping to happen, maybe I would turn into superman and somehow not face plant the pavement? My face barely even hurt. It was numb…I was numb.

The receptionist stood when she saw me, and for half a second I considered telling her that I was a time traveler or something just to spicen up her night. That was totally something Stefan would do just to get a laugh.

"I need to see Stefan Salvatore, shooting victim." My voice sounded like I had just ingested gravel

"Hon, I think you need to see a doctor, or maybe a bathtub."

"I'm fine, I just need to see him, please," my voice faltered. I did _need _to see him, just like I needed oxygen, or curly fries with extra salt.

She had an internal debate, "Trauma center, down the hall."

I was running. Faster than at a track meet or anything else that required physical effort. He was probably just recovering. His sleeping face played over in my head, he was startled awake by the cheery sounds of someone attempting homicide, and I wasn't there. I had left him.

I scanned all the beds, none of them contained that particular face. Maybe he was checked into a room at this point, they probably had to give him stiches or something.

There was yelling coming from one of the trauma rooms, doctors rushing everywhere, it was chaos. My OCD side was even a bit tempted to see if they needed help.

Out of curiosity I peeked in the window, I really wish I hadn't done that.

Stefan wasn't checked into a room, hopped up on pain killers; recovering. He was lying on a surgical table hopped up on anesthesia or morphine, or a terrible mix of the two.

His lips were perfectly parted and his hands hung limply from his sides. This phenomenal, beautiful boy was dying. In that moment, I would've given up my entire life just to save his. This decision came just as naturally to me as supporting the Yankees over the Red Soxs. The stakes, however, were much higher.

I swung open the door. There were at least ten other people crowded into the small room. This. Was. Not. Real.

Beep.

I squeezed my eyes shut and shook his limp head, "No, don't do this."

Beep.

Openly crying, I let one of the orderlies push me back to the door. "Please Stefan," I begged quietly, "please don't leave me. That's my best friend in there! Don't make me leave him! Stefan!"

A nurse led me out of the room, "Why don't we get you cleaned up."

"No, I need-I need to give him back his camera," at this point normal breathing was a foreign concept to me.

I struggled against her grip, which was surprisingly strong for a tiny woman. A long drone erupted from the monitor. That terrible, ear splitting sound was the worst thing I had ever heard. There could've been a nuclear bomb dropped and I wouldn't have noticed. I whipped open the door.

Seconds dragged past but nothing changed. All the attendants looked down at their feet.

"NO!" I screamed. I flung my body onto his, gripping on to his shoulders. His skin felt normal temperature, not lifeless at all. I ran my thumb around his entire face, feeling the curve of his cheeks, and the roughness of his lips

"Please, don't be dead," I whispered, "please."

"I'm sorry," the doctor said, "but I'm calling time of death at 11:06p.m."

My vision began to blur, and my thoughts began to get all mushed together like a can of tuna. Then my best friend disappeared from my line of vision.

One second really can make a difference, and at 11:07 pm, something occurred to me, the world is a scary place without a best friend.

_In a room filled with beautiful antique furniture and ancient artifacts from Egypt and Rome, the digital clock radio stuck out like a sore thumb. It's flashing green digits called attention to the clock as if to say, I may be new, but I'm still important. It struck me as odd that something as refined and as traditional as this old church would rely on such a technological timepiece. _

_The blinking numbers reflected off all the black dresses and blazers, creating an eerie sort of affect. Normally I wouldn't even pause to think about stupid lights but today was different. I would do anything for a distraction. Sniffling echoed off the walls and tears ruined mascara. There were no tears in my eyes; there was no use for crying._

_The priest continued talking as if people actually cared what he was saying, like he wasn't just reading off a script. Across the chapel, way in the back, a boy sat with an expression that was straighter than my own. My heart did a tiny dance; until it occurred to me that the boy wasn't who I first assumed he was. The hair was darker, and the shoulders more muscular. _

_He met my gaze and I quickly averted my eyes up to the coffin. _

_It wasn't especially big, then again neither was Stefan. He was about 5'7, which was still multiple inches taller than me. His body was lanky from the hospital stays and lack of physical activity, and the width of the casket proved that. _

_It had surprisingly been an open casket; the puncture wound was masked by clothing. But the guy inside there didn't look like him, an imposter of sorts. The makeup gave his pale skin a grayish hue, and the lipstick masked his perfect full lips. _

_An image popped into my mind: sun came in through the windows, causing Stefan's eyes to glisten green. His skin was sporting mid-summer glow, his smile teased me, and I laughed. I wanted that moment to continue on forever, so happy and carefree. If only it were that easy._


End file.
